Mascara applicator



Jan. 16, 1968 Q.WURMB6CK MASCARA APPLIGATOR Original Filed Jan. 24; 1956wrewroe J "w w United States Patent 3,363,635 MAEZCARA APPLHCATGR OscarWurmboclr, Munich, Germany, assignor to Helena Rubinstein, line, NewYorlt, N.Y., a corporation of New York Continuation of application Ser.No. 133,539, July 14, 1961, which is a continuation of application Ser.N 561,112, Jan. 24, 1956. This application Mar. 27, 1967, Ser. No.626,345

8 Claims. ((Cl. Bib-88.7)

ABSTRACT 0F THE DTSCLGSURE A mascara applicator comprising a supply ofmascara in a reservoir and a grooved applicator rod which provides acombing action as mascara in the grooves is applied to the eyelashes ofthe user. The rod is inserted into the supply of mascara and withdrawntherefrom through a central aperture in a stripping member formed ofyieldable material. All of that portion of the rod, both grooved andungrooved, which passes through the aperture is of uniform diameter sothat the ungrooved portion is stripped clean and a metered amount ofmascara is permitted to remain in the grooves as the rod is withdrawnfrom the supply of mascara.

This application is a continuation of my application Ser. No. 133,539filed July 14, 1961, which in turn, was a continuation of my applicationSer. No. 561,112 filed Jan. 24, 1956, both earlier applicationspresently being abandoned.

The present invention relates to a novel and particularly useful devicefor applying coloring and similar treatment matter such as mascara, inpasty, semi-pasty or nearly liquid condition to eyelashes.

It is one of the objects of the present invent-ion to provide adispenser for mascara which comprises a convenient rod-shaped mascaraapplicator, which is easy to manufacture, simple to handle andmanipulate, and which has many other desirable advantages.

It is another object of the invention to provide means affording readycollection and discharge of mascara or like treatment substancesubstantially Without any waste, smear or similar loss duringapplication and use.

Conventional mascara applicators such as brushes, sticks or the like,have the disadvantage that they do not apply the mascara properly anduniformly and they also tend to cause more or less soiling of the handsor clothing as they always require a transfer of the mascara from thesupply to an auxiliary support and from the support to the lashes. Thisintermediate support, which may take the form of a piece of blottingpaper, will take up or absorb a considerable quantity of thepreparation, which remains unused and is wasted. Moreover, the eyelashesreceive a quantity of the preparation which is not metered and which mayshow a heady or cloddy formation or other irregularities when applied tothe lashes.

The present invention avoids these and other disadvantages andinconveniences and provides means affording first of all the importantadvantage that the usual transfer of mascara to and from an auxiliary orintermediate carrier is avoided, thus reducing to a minimum any waste ofthe preparation, While at the same time presenting a predeterminedmetered dosage or quantity of the preparation which is available fordirect application to the eyelashes. Additionally, the applicator rod iscircumferentially grooved so that it produces a combing effect, whichcauses the eyelashes to be evenly, uniformly and cleanly treated.

In accordance with the invention and more specifically the applicatorrod is provided with preshaped and prearranged recesses extendingtransversely with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof and theserecesses may be in the form of grooves, notches or like depressions. Thereservoir or container for the preparation has at the outlet thereof orat a certain distance from the same wiper means which cooperates withthe applicator rod and which is, for instance, in the form of aperforated or apertured disc of yieldable material with a centralaperture corresponding to the outer diameter of the applicator rod. Inthis case, the walls of the aperture cooperate with the rod to remove orstrip excess mascara therefrom.

Thus, any excess of mascara will be retained within the reservoirbecause it will be removed from or stripped off the applicator rodduring its Withdrawal through the wiper device so that the rod willcarry only a limited and metered quantity of the material in accordancewith the volumetric capacity of the filling space provided by thecircumferential grooves which may be so chosen in their dimensions(depth and width) that a desired precisely determined or dosed quantityof said preparation adheres to the applicator, being lodged in thegrooves, while no preparation adheres to the remainder of the applicatorrod, which remains bare and clean, the mascara having been stripped offby the wiper device.

Thus, it is possible that in accordance with the volumetric capacitywhich is determined by the width and depth of the transversedepressions, the quantity of preparation which is taken up by theapplicator rod and applied to the eyelashes may be accuratelypredetermined in accordance with the viscosity, cohesion or otherproperties of the mascara or other treatment material.

When the applicator rod is not in use, it is positioned in the reservoirwhich is filled with mascara or like treatment matter so that thecircumferentially extending grooves take up and collect a certainquantity of the mascara preparation. If now, for the purpose of use, theapplicator rod is withdrawn from the reservoir, then the applicator hasto pass at the outlet of the reservoir or some distance from samethrough the wiper device, which may constitute a separate unit and whichmay be removably inserted in or attached to the reservoir, said wiperunit in the simplest case being in the form of an appropriately shapedpiece or perforated disc formed of yieldable material such as cardboardor the like cellulosic, plastic or rubber material.

The applicator therefore will be immediately ready for use permitting acomplete and direct application of the treatment preparation to theeyelashes without causing any beady formations and other irregularities.Thus, the.

mascara or other preparation will be applied easily close to the hairroots and may then be shifted and rolled by a sliding movement towardthe pointed ends of the eyelashes. Thus, the individual eyelash hairsslide through the preparation retained in the grooves, take up some ofthe mascara therefrom and are simultaneously subjected to acorresponding shaping and combing action thus bringing about a desirableshaping and corrective positioning of the eyelashes by virtue of thesliding movement and rotation of the applicator, which thus also servesas a dosage control member.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference tothe accompanying drawing, in which there is shown schematically one ofmany possible forms which the invention may take.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a container or reservoir 1, forinstance a cylindrical receptacle made of glass, metal, plastic or likesuitable material and which holds therein a supply of mascara (notshown). An elongated applicator rod 2 is inserted in the reservoir 1from its open upper or outlet end. The applicator rod 2 is carried by aremovable closure cap 3. The closure cap 3 is provided with a roundhandle 4. When the reservoir 1 is closed by the cap 3, as shown, thelower or free end of the applicator rod 2 terminates near the lower orclosed end of the reservoir 1. The applicator rod 2 is of round or othercross-sectional configuration and its free end portion is provided witha series of axially spaced circumferential grooves 5 which extendcompletely around the rod 2.

Spaced inwardly from the open upper or outlet end of the container 1there is disposed a wiper device in the form of a disc or plate 6,having a central perforation of a diameter which corresponds to theoutside diameter of the applicator rod 2, so that upon removal of therod 2, it is stripped clean by the wiper device 6 and only thecircumferential grooves 5 provided at the free end portion of theapplicator rod 2 will be evenly filled with mascara which is retained inthe grooves.

The grooves or recesses 5 are shown uniformly axially spaced along thefree end portion of the applicator rod 2 and the walls defining suchgrooves or recesses may be perpendicular or oblique with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the applicator rod 2.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing applicator for fluent materials, comprising: anelongated reservoir member for holding a supply of said material, .saidreservoir member being open at one end and closed at the other end; acooperating cover member removably engageable with said reservoir memberfor closing said open end; an elongated applicator rod, said rod beingcarried by said cover member and extending into said reservoir member inproximity to said closed end when said cover member closes said openend, said rod having at least one groove formed therein and defining aseries of axially spaced recesses, said recesses being contiguous andextending circumferentially around said rod for receiving a supply ofsaid material therein, the portions of said rod between contiguousrecesses being shaped to effect a combing action when applied to theeyelashes of a user of said applicator; and a wiper device comprising astripping member formed of yieldable material, said stripping memberbeing disposed in said reservoir member in proximity to said open endthereof, said stripping member having a central aperture formed thereinthrough which said rod passes progressively as said rod and said covermember are removed from said reservoir member, said rod being ofsubstantially uniform diameter throughout the entire portion thereofwhich passes through said aperture, the walls of said aperturecooperating with the entire circumference of said lastnamed portion ofsaid rod to strip all fluent material therefrom which is located outsideof said recesses, thereby leaving a metered predetermined quantity ofsaid material retained in said recess for application to said eyelashesby said combing action.

2. An applicator according to claim 1, wherein said portions of said rodbetween contiguous recesses have a radially outwardly pointedcross-sectional configuration viewed in a plane passing through thelongitudinal axis of said rod.

3. A dispensing applicator for applying a cosmetic agent to eyelashescomprising, in combination, an elongated reservoir member, a supply ofsaid agent contained within said reservoir member, said agent having aconsistency within the range from pasty to high viscosity, saidreservoir member being open at one end and closed at the other end, acooperating cover member removably engageable with said reservoir memberfor closing said open end, an elongated cylindrical applicator rodcarried by said cover member, said rod extending into said reservoirmember and terminating near said closed end when said open end of saidreservoir member is closed by said cover member, said rod having atleast one groove formed therein defining a series of axially spacedrecesses, said recesses extending circumferentially around said rod forreceiving a supply of said agent therein, the axial spacing betweenadjacent recesses being dimensioned to provide a combing action whensaid rod is rotated while held horizontally with the portion thereofcontaining said recesses applied to the lashes of the eye of the user,the cross-sectional configuration of each recess being divergentproceeding outwardly from the longitudinal axis of said applicator, anda wiper device comprising a stripping member formed of yieldablematerial, said stripipng member being disposed in said reservoir memberintermediate said open end and said closed end, said stripping memberhaving a central aperture formed therein through which a portion of saidrod and all of said recesses pass progressively as said rod, togetherwith said cover member are removed from said reservoir member, theportion of said rod which passes though said aperture being ofsubstantially uniform diameter throughout its entire length, the wallsof said aperture cooperating with said rod to strip substantially allagent from the ungrooved portion of said rod and substantially all agentoutside said recesses, thereby leaving an accurately meteredpredetermined quantity of said agent retained in said recesses.

4. A dispensing applicator for applying a cosmetic agent to eyelashescomprising, in combination, an elongated reservoir member, a supply ofsaid agent contained in said reservoir member, said agent having aconsistency within the range from pasty to high viscosity, saidreservoir member being open at one end and closed at the other end, acooperating cover member removably engageable with said reservoir memberfor closing said open end, an elongated cylindrical applicator rod ofsubstantially uniform diameter throughout its entire length carried bysaid cover member, said rod extending into said reservoir member andterminating near said closed end when said open end of said reservoirmember is closed by said cover member, said rod having a series ofaxially spaced grooves formed thereon intermediate its ends, saidgrooves extending circumferentially around said rod for receiving asupply of said agent therein, the axial spacing between adjacent groovesbeing adapted to provide a combing action when rotated and heldhorizontally and applied to the lashes of the eye of the user, the depthof each groove being substantially equal to the maximum width thereof,the cross-sectional configuration of each groove being substantiallysymmetrical with respect to a plane passing through the bottom of thegroove perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal axis of theapplicator, and a wiper device comprising a stripping member formed ofyieldable material, said stripping member being disposed in saidreservoir member intermediate said open end and said closed end, saidstripping member having a central aperture formed therein through whichsaid rod and said grooves pass progressively as said rod, together withsaid cover member, are removed from said reservoir member, the walls ofsaid aperture cooperating with said rod to strip substantially all agentfrom the ungrooved portion of said rod and substantially all agentoutside said grooves, thereby leaving an accurately meteredpredetermined quantity of said agent retained in said grooves.

5. A dispensing applicator for applying a cosmetic agent to eyelashescomprising, in combination, an elongated reservoir member, a supply ofsaid agent contained within said reservoir member, said agent having aconsistency within the range from pasty to high viscosity, saidreservoir member being open at one end and closed at the other end, acooperating cover member removably engageable with said reservoir memberfor closing said open end, an elongated cylindrical applicator rod ofsubstantially uniform diameter throughout its entire length carried bysaid cover member, said rod extending into said reservoir member andterminating near said closed end when said open end of said reservoirmember is closed by said cover member, said rod having a series ofaxially spaced grooves formed thereon intermediate its ends, saidgrooves extending circumferentially around said rod receiving a supplyof said material therein, the axial spacing between adjacent groovesbeing adapted to provide a combing action when rotated and heldhorizontally and applied to the lashes of the eye of the user, the depthof each groove being substantially equal to the maximum width thereof,the cross-sectional configuration of each groove being divergentproceeding outwardly from the longitudinal axis of said applicator, anda wiper device comprising a stripping member formed of yieldablematerial, said stripping member being disposed in said reservoir memberintermediate said open end and said closed end, said stripping memberhaving a central aperture formed therein through which said rod and saidgrooves pass progressively as said rod, together with said cover member,are removed from said reservoir member, the walls of said aperturecooperating with said rod to strip substantially all agent from theungrooved portion of said rod and substantially all agent outside saidgrooves, thereby leaving an accurately metered predetermined quantity ofsaid agent retained in said grooves.

6. A dispensing applicator for applying pasty to high viscosity agent toeyelashes comprising, in combination, an elongated reservoir member forholding a supply of said agent, said reservoir member being open at oneend and closed at the other end, a cooperating cover member removablyengageable with said reservoir member for closing said open end, anelongated cylindrical applicator rod of substantially uniform diameterthroughout its entire length carried by said cover member, said rodextending into said reservoir member and terminating near said closedend when said open end of said reservoir member is closed by said covermember, said rod having a series of axially spaced grooves formedthereon intermediate its ends, said grooves extending circumferentiallyaround said rod for receiving a supply of said material therein, theaxial spacing between adjacent grooves corresponding to the lateralspacing between adjacent grooves being adapted to provide a combingaction when rotated and held horizontally and applied to the lashes ofthe eye of the user, the depth of each groove being substantially equalto the maximum width thereof, the cross-sectional configuration of eachgroove being divergent proceeding outwardly from the longitudinal axisof said applicator, and a wiper device comprising a stripping memberformed of yieldable material, said stripping member being disposed insaid reservoir member intermediate said open end and said closed end,said stripping member having a central aperture formed therein throughwhich said rod and said grooves pass progressively as said rod, togetherwith said cover member, are moved from said reservoir member, the wallsof said aperture cooperating with said rod to strip substantially allagent from the ungrooved portion of said rod and substantially all agentoutside of said grooves, thereby leaving an accurately meteredpredetermined quantity of said agent retained in said grooves.

7. A dispensing applicator for fluent cosmetic materials, comprising: anelongated reservoir for holding a supply of said material, saidreservoir being open at one end and closed at the other end; acooperating cover removably engageable with said reservoir for closingsaid open end; an elongated applicator rod, said rod being carried bysaid cover and extending into said reservoir in proximity to said closedend when said cover closes said open end, said rod having a plurality ofsubstantially circumferential grooves formed thereon defining a seriesof axially spaced recesses for receiving a supply of said mazerialtherein, the portions of said rod between contiguous recesses beingshaped to elfect a combing action when applied to the eyelashes of auser of said applicator; and a stripping member formed of yieldablematerial, said stripping member being disposed in said reservoir inproximity to said open end thereof, said stripping member having acentral aperture formed therein through which said rod passesprogressively as said rod and said cover are removed from saidreservoir, said rod being of substantially uniform diameter throughoutthe entire portion thereof which passes through said aperture, saidaperture cooperating with the outer surface of said last-named portionof said rod to strip substantially all fluent material therefrom whichis located outside of said recesses, thereby leaving a meteredpredetermined quantity of said material retained in said recesses forapplication to said eyelashes by said combing action.

8. A dispensing applicator for applying a viscous cosmetic agent toeyelashes comprising, in combination: an elongated reservoir; a supplyof said agent contained within said reservoir, said reservoir being openat one end and closed at the other end; a cooperating cover removablyengageable with said reservoir for closing said open end; an elongatedapplicator rod carried by said cover, said rod extending into saidreservoir and terminating near said closed end when said open end ofsaid reservoir is closed by said cover, said rod having at least onegroove formed therein defining a series of axial ly spaced recesses,said recesses extending peripherally around said rod for receiving asupply of said agent therein, the axial spacing between adjacentrecesses being dimensioned to provide a combing action when rotated andheld horizontally with the grooved portion of said rod applied to thelashes of the eye of the user; and a wiper device comprising a strippingmember formed of yieldable material, said stripping member beingdisposed in said reservoir near said open end, said stripping memberhaving a central aperture formed therein through which a portion of saidrod and said recesses pass progressively as said rod, together with saidcover are removed from said reservoir, the portion of said rod whichpasses through said aperture being of substantially uniformcross-sectional dimension throughout its entire length, the walls ofsaid aperture cooperating with said portion of said rod to stripsubstantially all agent from it except that in said recess, therebyleaving an accurately metered predetermined quantity of said agentretained in said recesses.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 565,328 8/1896 Buhler 15-621FOREIGN PATENTS 883,900 4/ 1943 France.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner. G. E. MCNEILL, Assistant Examiner.

